1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to head immobilization devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a head immobilization device for restraining a patient's head during transport on a spine board.
2. Description of Related Art
Head immobilization devices are used by emergency medical technicians to secure an injured patient's head from movement, especially rotational movements of the head.
Numerous devices have been proposed in the past to perform the function of immobilizing or stabilizing the human head and/or neck for emergency purposes. Such devices are extremely important, particularly in emergency situations, in the handling of possible fractures of the cervical spine. In the case of industrial injuries, automobile accidents, and battlefield injuries, it is usually necessary to remove the patient from the injury scene, often under conditions of stress or time pressure, for transport to medical facilities. This removal is almost always accomplished by personnel who are not medical doctors, although they may have had varying amounts of education and training in the handling of injured persons.
In such handling and moving, there is a high risk of aggravation of injuries to the cervical spine if the patient's head and/or neck are not properly immobilized or stabilized.
Many prior art patents disclose devices comprising a rigid board member having straps attached thereto for attachment to a patient to immobilize the head and neck. These devices provide a rigid structure for completely preventing lateral motion and rotation of the patient's head. But they are often expensive, bulky, and complicated to use. They are also frequently impractical to maintain, store, and clean between uses.
Head immobilization devices are usually single use or disposable devices, which do not require sterilization after a use. It is desirable that such disposable immobilizers be sturdy but also inexpensive.
The storage capacity of emergency medical vehicles or ambulances is limited. These vehicles are able to carry more equipment when the equipment can be stowed in a flat or folded condition. Desirable head immobilization devices can be stored in a flat condition and unfolded to an operative condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,322 discloses a head-restraining and safety support apparatus having a head-rest section at one end. Included is a durable, lightweight, three-section cushion that can be used for safety purposes to cover and restrain effectively the head of an accident victim while being placed on a body splint/litter apparatus in preparation for transport to a medical facility. Two flexible attaching members are connected to the rear edges of the opposing side cushion sections. The attaching members can be fastened to the head section of the body/splint litter apparatus by any convenient fastener such as hooks, snaps, or ties but preferably by the use of Velcro.RTM. brand fastening means. A main forehead strap protects and restrains the head from forward motion and a chin strap provides additional restraint and support, both straps being secured by any convenient means at one end of each to the front edge of one side of the cushion member, and fastenable by any convenient means to the outer surface of the opposite cushion section.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,757 discloses a device for restraining the head of an injured person carried on a cervical support board, the device having a pair of L-shaped side frames each defining a base portion and a brace portion. The brace portion is sized approximately 6 to 8 inches long (in the direction of the base portion). Hook-loop fasteners, e.g., Velcro.RTM., are fixed to the base portion of the side frames and to the support board where the injured person's head is located. The brace portion of the side frame is adapted then to be snugged against the side of the person's head, extending from close to the neck upward beyond the ears, with the base portion then being secured onto the support in this position. Straps are then trained over the person's head, at the forehead and/or chin, and secured again by hook-loop fasteners to the brace portions of the side frames. Openings in the guide portions of the side frames expose the person's ears for visual and tactual access. Padding on the brace portion surrounds the access opening to cushion the snugging action against the person's head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,407 discloses a spine immobilizer adapted for rendering an accident victim's head and upper body immobile. The spine immobilizer in a preferred form is made of a sheet of corrugated cardboard including a multilayer spine panel to resist longitudinal bending, laterally extending head panels bendable into position adjacent to the sides of the person's head, laterally extending body panels bendable into conformity with the person's upper body, and straps and fastening assemblies for securing the body panels in position. The immobilizer includes box sections providing increased resistance to longitudinal bending, one formed by laterally extending stiffener panels having free ends that can be arranged in overlying relation, and others formed by the strap arrangement. Features include laterally adjustable carrying handles and slot and strap configurations that reduce tearing of the cardboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,412 discloses a disposable, lightweight, readily stored, low cost cervical spine board made of wax-coated or plastic-coated reinforced double walled corrugated board. The device has precut score lines therein for folding the device around the sides of the head and around the sides of the body. Head and neck tabs and body wings are secured by duct tape or other suitable two-inch tape, which optionally can be preattached to the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,711 discloses a head immobilizer of the type that can be attached to a rigid backboard support, with the head immobilizer including a base and a pair of laterally extending side support panels. Each of these side support panels further comprises an inner panel and an outer panel, with the inner panel conformable appropriately to the shape necessary for snugly supporting the head to be immobilized. The inner panel also includes an opening that effectively divides a portion of that inner panel into a pair of spaced inner support members extending laterally from the base. The outer panel has inner and outer edges and is hingedly attached adjacent to its inner edge to the inner panel such that it is foldable relative to the inner panel to provide a substantially rigid brace for securing the inner panel in a desired immobilizing position. The outer panel also includes a cutout portion for providing substantial access to the opening of the inner panel when the inner panel is braced in a desired immobilizing position. The outer panel can be secured in a bracing position relative to the inner panel, and the outer panel includes an attachment panel hingedly attached adjacent its outer edge for securing the outer panel in bracing position adjacent the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,418 discloses a collapsible immobilization device comprising two pieces of treated fiberboard. The pieces are placed one on top of the other and joined together at the center of each. The upper member consists of different sections formed by and attached to each other by fold lines. The fold lines allow these sections to be rotated independent of each other with the fold lines acting as a hinge. When certain sections are folded against a patient's head, they form a cradling area. When the rigid shoulder sections are mated to the base member by means of hook-loop fasteners, e.g., Velcro.RTM., the device becomes rigid, thus restraining the patient's head and neck area. Adhesive tape on the bottom of the base member allows for the device to be secured to a surface that further supports the patient's cervical area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,185 discloses a head immobilization device comprising a foundation portion and a restraining portion. The foundation portion comprises a foundational panel and an adhesive first spine board engaging element situated on the lower surface of the foundation panel. The restraining portion comprises a base panel, two side panels extending laterally from the outer sides of the base panel, and at least one band of material for affixing the side panels to each other in suitable conformance with the patient's head.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,393 discloses a dual adhesive strap for securing a patient's head in a head immobilizer. The strap is designed to lie across and adhere to the patient's forehead and have each of its ends adhere to a spine board. The strap has a bottom side comprising a central region which comprises skin contact adhesive flanked by two regions which comprise board contact adhesive. The board contact adhesive is stronger than the skin contact adhesive, such that the strap stays adhered under various environmental conditions and the skin of the patient's forehead is not injured by the skin contact adhesive. The strap and the adhesive regions are preferably large enough to accommodate many sizes of heads, spine boards, and head immobilizers. It is preferred that a removable backing covers the adhesive side of the strap.